Traditional versus three-dimensional teaching of peritoneal embryogenesis: a comparative prospective study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Anatomy
• Embryology

Background:

• Interactive 3D teaching techniques are emerging in anatomy education.
• The comparative efficacy of 3D versus traditional teaching methods remains undemonstrated.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the teaching efficiency of interactive 3D techniques versus traditional chalk methods.
• To assess student memorization of peritoneal embryogenesis.

Main Methods:

• 165 medical students were divided into a 3D group (n=85) and a chalk (CL) group (n=80).
• Both groups received instruction on peritoneal embryogenesis.
• An evaluation test with 34 questions was administered to assess knowledge retention.

Main Results:

• The 3D group achieved a significantly higher overall correct answer rate (65.12%) compared to the CL group (49.33%, p < 0.001).
• The 3D technique showed superior results for dynamic phenomena (65.96% vs. 28.17%, p < 0.001).
• No significant difference was observed for static phenomena (p = 0.24).

Conclusions:

• Interactive 3D teaching is more effective than traditional chalk methods for short-term memorization of peritoneal embryogenesis.
• The 3D technique particularly enhances the understanding of dynamic embryological processes.
• Further research is needed to evaluate the long-term impact of 3D teaching.